Fever
by Nat-loves-the-connors
Summary: This story was influenced by Pink Pagoda's Super-Brilliant fic 'Or Lack thereof'. I enjoyed reading it SOOO much that It inspired me to write my own about Ryan becoming ill.


Michelle Connor awoke suddenly by the sound of fast footsteps thudding above her. Sighing she glanced at the clock, just after one in the morning. Looking around she realised she'd fallen asleep downstairs on the sofa in the back of the pub which she lived in. Presuming the noise had just been Steve, she flopped back down, too tired to move. It was then she heard the sound of violent retching. She sat up and frowned- that didn't sound like Steve.

Heaving herself up, she ploughed up the stairs. She noticed her son's bedroom door wide open, so she peered in. She saw he wasn't there and realised that it was him she'd heard retching. As the sound of gagging filed her ears once more, she rushed down the hall to the bathroom. The door was closed but not locked.

"Ryan?" She opened the door just to see him spilling a vast amount of vomit into the sink.

"Oh no, baby!" Michelle groaned, hurrying over to him. She rubbed his back firmly while he purged continuously into the sink. She waited while he had finished heaving, then sat him down on the toilet seat.

"Do you feel any better?" Michelle asked, turning the taps on to rinse the sink.

"I feel the same" Ryan mumbled, eyes half closed. He was shivering, so Michelle grabbed a towel from the side and wrapped it around him. Ryan felt awful, every inch of him ached, his body felt like it was made of lead and his eyes were dropping shut. Michelle grabbed some tissue and gently wiped his mouth.

"Come on, let's get you back in bed." She supported him back to his room and helped him into bed. She placed the plastic bin at the side of his bed and knelt down.

"Try and go back to sleep darling" She whispered, stroking his hair. Ryan nodded and shivered. Michelle threw the bed sheets over him and made sure he was covered up. Yawning, she walked out of the room and crept into her room. Being careful not to wake up Steve, she slipped into bed and was asleep almost instantly.

*

It was half past four in the morning when she heard a cry of discomfort from the other room. Assuming Ryan was being sick again, she got up out of bed and hurried down the hall. Going into his room she saw that he really was very ill. He lay in bed shaking, his breathing shallow and uneven. The plastic bin and the surrounding carpeted area was vomit splattered.

"Oh Rye, what have you caught?" She sighed, sitting on the edge of the bed to take a look at him. His face was a pale, sickly white colour, almost nearing gray. He was shivering violently but drenched in sweat. He tried to say something, but his voice was weak and feeble. He could barely utter what he wanted to say.

"I...N-need..." He was cut off as he felt another burning ripple of pressure squeezing his stomach. He leant over and managed to hit the bin in the nick of time. Michelle spoke to him softly and consolingly as he regurgitated, keeping a gentle hand at his back. When he was finished, he fell back exhausted. His throat burning and raw from heaving, sweat pouring from his weak form.

"How do you feel baby?" Michelle asked, concerned.

"No better" Ryan groaned, clamping his arms around his stomach. Michelle sighed sympathetically, brushing his fringe away from his sticky forehead.

"God, you're warm!" She exclaimed."Relax for a minute, I won't be long" She promised, getting up and exiting the room.

She returned a few moments later, holding a thermometer and a glass of water. She slipped the thermometer under his tongue and waited for the reading.

"102°!" She gasped, gently tugging the thicker blanket away from him.

"Mum, I'm cold!" He groaned, bringing is knees up to his chest.

"Don't worry, you're not likely to die of hyperthermia" She mumbled, placing the thermometer back on the side table. She handed him the water and he shakily raised it to his lips, taking a large drink.

"Steady, you don't want to make yourself sick again" Michelle warned. He ignored her and drained the glass, placing it on the side when he'd finished.

"Go have a shower, just to cool off" She told him. He groaned and swung his legs out of bed. He got up and stumbled, Michelle placed her arm around him to steady him.

She took the chance to clean up the room while he was in the shower. She rubbed her eyes exhausted, then smiled to herself as she thought 'Oh the joys of being a mum'. The room was clean and bed freshly made when Ryan returned from the bathroom. He was still deathly gray and his eyes were bleary but he looked slightly better.

"Looks like it's done you good" She told him.

"A bit, I'm freezing" He yawned, climbing back into bed. Michelle straightened the sheets out and gently stroked his clammy cheek. Ryan felt slightly embarrassed at being treated as if he was much younger, but being ill stopped him minding too much. He fell back into the pillows and closed his eyes as Michelle continued to fuss over him.

Michelle couldn't bring herself to leave after finding him in the state he had been in before. After all the business with Alex, she just wanted to be there for him, for her son. A puzzled, confused Steve peered around the door, wondering why she wasn't in bed. Before he had chance to speak she put a finger up to her lips and nodded towards Ryan, who had finally managed to drift off. Steve gave her a 'thumbs up' sign to show he understood and walked back down the hall.

Michelle stroked the back of Ryan's hand and was startled to find that, bizarrely, it was freezing. She placed her hand on his forehead and found he was still boiling hot. She was about to consider trying to have a few more hours sleep herself, when he spluttered and opened his eyes.

"Are you going to be sick again?" She asked. Ryan grimaced and nodded, leaning over to the plastic bin.

"Just let it out darling" She said. He retched and hurled noisily, eyes watering from the burning sensation in his throat.

"Good lad" She coaxed, rubbing his back. She went to bring him another drink when he was done. He sipped it steadily this time, feeling the cool liquid sooth the burning ache at the back of his throat.

"Do you think you're any better?" She asked, rubbing his knee sympathetically.

"I don't know" He answered, his voice raspy from all the heaving.

"Poor kid" She cooed, taking the empty glass from him. He sighed and lay back, well and truly out of it.

"I wish it would all go away" He croaked, letting his eyes droop shut once more.

"I know darling, I if I could take it away from you I would" Michelle sighed. She hated not being able to do anything to make him feel better when he was in so much discomfort. She'd take it all on if it meant he didn't have to. She got up, walked round to the other side and slid into bed next to him.

"What are you doing?" Ryan mumbled, too tired to turn round or open his eyes.

"Shh, I'm staying here, being here for you" she told him, placing her arms around him. He was too weak to protest or pull away, so he relaxed against her, allowing her to be the mum she was willing to be. Michelle kissed his cheek as exhaustion took over, robbing him of all his senses. Sighing contently, he fell into as good a sleep he was going to get with his illness.

Michelle smiled, unable to move around much but happy he was finally sleeping it out. Having got peace at mind knowing he was settled for a good few hours, she allowed her own eyelids to grow heavy and managed to drift off to sleep herself.

**Fin**


End file.
